May travels to Brussels to convince the EU to move to the second phase of the Brexit

Ireland, key in talks between the British leader and the presidents of the Council and the European Commission

04 Aralık 2017 Pazartesi 02:00 - 13 reads.

The talks on Brexit, departure of United Kingdom of European Union, meet this Monday in Brussels, on a decisive day in order to move to second phase of negotiations that both London demands. On table, future of trade relations. British Prime Minister Theresa May meets at lunch with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and n meets with European Council President Donald Tusk. The day is expected to end with a possible principle of agreement on modalities of divorce. Although negotiation of price to be paid for separation and rights of European and British citizens seems to be well on track, border with Ireland is most tense point of negotiations and could delay a pact, as sources have explained Diplomatic to Reuters.

Ireland has made "significant progress" in talks with United Kingdom for future of Irish border, but no definitive agreement has yet been reached, recalled Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's spokesman. Ireland seeks a compromise on part of London to prevent that after Brexit, border with British province of Norrn Ireland is again a physical frontier. The reappearance of borders would weaken se two very dependent economies, and according to Dublin, it would weaken 1998 peace agreement that ended 30 years of bloody conflict.

Simon Coveney, Irish foreign minister, said this morning in Irish ten chain that "what we have is a discussion of a text on which re is no agreement yet." "We are still not where we should be but it is possible to do it today," he added. An interim agreement with Irish government would be key to unlocking nine months of negotiations focused mainly on Brexit bill and rights of both British and European citizens in United Kingdom.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), an ally of Theresa May in Parliament, said, through its leader Arlene Foster, that it would not accept an agreement that would compromise access of Norrn Ireland to British market.

The President of European Council, Donald Tusk, asked Theresa May last Friday to "put on table, no later than December 4, his final offer so that we can evaluate at forthcoming European summit if re has been sufficient progress." At summit, which will take place on 14 and 15 December, 27 EU Member States should decide wher progress made around Brexit is sufficient to move to next phase of negotiations, focusing on trade relations.

The offer of first British lady will be debated on Wednesday in Commission, in a meeting with EU negotiating chief, Frenchman Michel Barnier, who will give his verdict to 27 Member States. The date envisaged so far for departure of UK from European Union is March 29, 2019.